2016 – Stefan Roberts

An image of a wildflower's stamen and pistil.

2014 – Aakash Sahai

Cancer therapy using ion beams has been proven to be more effective than conventional technologies. In this picture an ion-beam is shown at its source from a novel future technology that will make cancer therapy more affordable to patients. Darker colors in the picture show higher energy protons.

2013 – Changyong Cao

The hierarchical pattern is generated by harnessing the localized instabilities of graphene paper on prestretched compliant substrate, and can be potentially used as superhydrophobic coatings, flexible electrodes and supercapacitors. It shows us one amazing and unique sight of Nano-World.

2012 – Yumian Deng

Every time we shower, each water droplet serves as a convex lens and refracts the light, just like a camera lens. This picture, taken in the Kilgo bathroom, shows droplets refracting the light coming from the drain beneath. Each one shows the drain at a different angle.

2011 – Mike Balajewicz

Compact Fluorescent Lamp

2010 – Jie Ren

Granular materials, such as sand, behave in a surprising way: they can flow like a liquid, yet carry weight like a solid. We use transparent disks made of photo-elastic material that changes its optical properties when subjected to a force. Images reveal the otherwise hidden and intricate force network between the particles.